Various forms of storage systems are used today. These forms include direct attached storage (DAS) network attached storage (NAS) systems, storage area networks (SANs), and others. Network storage systems are commonly used for a variety of purposes, such as providing multiple users with access to shared data, backing up data and others.
A storage system typically includes at least one computing system executing a storage operating system for storing and retrieving data on behalf of one or more client processing systems (“clients”). The storage operating system stores and manages shared data containers in a set of mass storage devices.
Information stored at mass storage devices is typically replicated or “backed up” by a backup process that creates a read-only backup copy of the information at a point in time. The read-only backup copy can be used to restore information to the point in time when the backup was taken. Certain operating environments however need a writable backup copy. Continuous efforts are being made to provide methods and systems for managing read-only backup copies in operating environments that need a writable backup copy.